Chapter 155: Back to Basics
Chapter 155: Back to Basics
In a way, she could have just pulled them aside and told them secretly. However, Ko Yeonju threw up a smokescreen, arguing that since she and Kim Soohyun already knew, there was no point in hiding it now. (She also added that if the other Users knew, they could fix those flaws more quickly and even receive help.)
Tempted by Ko Yeonju, Ahn Hyun, Lee Yoojung, and Ahn Sol all wore troubled expressions. Meanwhile, she peddled the idea that these were manifestations of a weak heart, and that they had to overcome that weakness to become stronger. With Kim Soohyun absent and swept up in the atmosphere of self-reflection, the three of them ended up nodding. However, their nods were clearly reluctant.
Ko Yeonju chose Lee Yoojung as her first target. But since Yoojung wasn't her real target, she relayed what she'd heard verbatim. Hearing her words, Yoojung gave a bitter smile. She had a feeling that what Ko Yeonju heard wasn't a lie.
It was true that she’d had such feelings in the past, and she had even been sulky because of them, which had certainly created a bit of distance between her and the party. “I thought I’d dealt with those feelings, but I guess not,” she admitted coolly, then tilted her head toward Ahn Hyun. It was a signal: I went first, so you’re next. Receiving Yoojung’s signal, Ahn Hyun tilted his head and looked at Ko Yeonju.
Ko Yeonju feigned a thoughtful expression for a moment, then narrowed her brow slightly and began to speak.
“Let’s see, what was it? Something about being sorry for leaving Ahn Sol behind? That you have to save your sister no matter what? It was something like that, but I’m not sure what it means. Did something happen between you two?”
The moment he heard that, Ahn Hyun’s expression hardened. He reflexively turned his gaze to Ahn Sol.
“Oppa…”
“Ahn Sol. Don’t say anything.”
Ahn Sol looked at Ahn Hyun with a sorrowful gaze. Unable to bear her stare, Ahn Hyun immediately lowered his head. The party sensed that something was going on between the two and shook their heads at Ko Yeonju. Ko Yeonju’s eyes widened, and she shrugged before taking a step back. He clearly didn't want to continue, and besides, Ahn Hyun wasn't her target either.
Just then, as Ko Yeonju stepped back, Ahn Sol took a step forward and spoke.
“I want to know, too.”
Ahn Sol’s voice wasn’t her usual hesitant, drawn-out mumble. No, she spoke with a sharp, clear tone. Ahn Hyun, startled, tried to stop her, but he froze when Ahn Sol sharply turned her head away from him.
There was even an air of solemn resolve on Ahn Sol’s face. Her lovely eyes were filled with determination, and her lips were pressed firmly together. Seeing her hands clenched into tight fists, it was clear she had steeled herself to speak. At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface. Ahn Hyun finally called out to her in a pained voice, but Ahn Sol answered by shaking her head firmly.
“Unni and Oppa already spoke, so I can’t be the only one who doesn’t. Besides, Soohyun-orabeoni always said that facing your own weaknesses is the foundation of growth. I don’t want to be treated like a child anymore. I… I want to get stronger, too.”
At her words, the party members all drew in a sharp breath. Usually, they looked at Ahn Sol with doting, indulgent eyes. This was largely because of the strong perception that Kim Soohyun coddled her. But right now, their gazes were filled with admiration and pride, as if thinking, “She had this side to her?”
Ko Yeonju stared at Ahn Sol with a steady gaze before slowly opening her mouth. And for the first time, she spoke Ahn Sol’s name with a hint of formality.
“Your spirit is admirable. It’s impressive. But I think it would be better not to say. For your information, I remember what you said, Ahn Sol-yang, quite clearly. Do you know why? Because you spoke the longest. And among the things you said were some truly shocking statements.”
“It’s okay. Hearing what you told Oppa, I’m certain you really did hear us. And I have an inkling of what I might have said. I want to know if that incident is still lingering in my heart…”
“It’s because I don’t want to say it. How about you just hear it from User Kim Soohyun later?”
“I’m prepared. I… I want to hear it now, just like Unni and Oppa. I don’t want to be treated specially anymore.”
Ahn Sol remained stubborn. As she placed a hand on her chest and pleaded once more, Ko Yeonju let out a small sigh. The atmosphere was getting strange, so she had offered a compromise, but the person in question refused to accept it.
She moistened her lips and then spoke.
“I’m not one to lie. If I start talking, I’ll tell you everything without a single falsehood. It may have been your subconscious, but there will be many who are disappointed to learn the real you, Ahn Sol-yang. Are you still okay with that? You won’t regret it?”
At Ko Yeonju’s stern warning, Ahn Sol didn’t answer right away. She couldn’t. The others wondered what she could have possibly said to warrant such a warning, but they all held their breath. This was ultimately Ahn Sol’s personal issue, and what she’d said made sense. As fellow Users in the Hall Plain, they had to respect her choice.
Ahn Sol hesitated for a moment, but in the end, she shook off Ahn Hyun’s pleading gaze and nodded.
“I won’t regret it. Please tell me… But please keep it a secret from Soohyun-orabeoni. I’ll tell him myself when the time is right.”
Her words, leaving some room for maneuver, made Ko Yeonju hesitate. She had started this half-jokingly, but the atmosphere had grown heavy. She subtly raised her head and scanned the faces of the others.
Ahn Hyun kept opening and closing his mouth, and the others’ eyes were filled with worry. Ahn Sol, despite speaking bravely, had eyes that were beginning to tremble. It seemed to be related to her deepest vulnerability. Ko Yeonju calmly collected her thoughts.
It wouldn’t matter if I told her… but I have no obligation or right to touch on that. If I handle this clumsily, the fallout could be irreversible. It would be better to leave it to that brat… or at least to him. Since I don’t like this mood anyway, maybe I’ll play a little prank?
For a brief moment, she considered actually telling her, but Ko Yeonju quickly dismissed the idea. The quick-witted Ko Yeonju judged that Ahn Sol was simply swept up in the moment, not truly prepared as she claimed. Besides, given Ahn Sol’s gentle nature and the fact they were in the middle of exploring a cave, she didn’t want to deal with the aftershock in such a place. So, she decided to proceed with her original plan (?).
Ko Yeonju took a calm, deep breath and nodded. Judging by Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung’s reactions, the party already found her words somewhat credible. As her lips slowly parted, the Users’ tense gazes focused on them.
Finally, with a very serious voice and a very serious face, Ko Yeonju uttered the first words.
“That bastard Kim Soohyun! I can’t stand him!”
Sometimes, people are unable to react immediately to shocking events. It happens when they hear, experience, or encounter something that transcends imagination. The brain refuses to comprehend and accept it. That was precisely the case for Ahn Sol and the party right now.
Ahn Sol’s solemn expression slowly melted away, returning to her usual innocent, dazed look. Her tightly pressed lips gradually parted, and a deflated sound escaped from between them.
“…………Huh?”
“Damn it. I hate Kim Soohyun so much I could die! What’s with him, acting all high and mighty just because he’s strong? It’s so annoying… I can’t stand his smug act. This is why I can’t quit smoking. Ugh, I’m so pissed.”
“……Huh?!”
Ahn Sol looked around with a dumbfounded expression. The rest of the party was staring at Ahn Sol and Ko Yeonju, their faces blank and their eyes wide. Overwhelmed with confusion, Ahn Sol shook her head frantically… but Ko Yeonju didn’t stop.
“And what’s with that condescending Jung Hayeon? She’s so damn cocky just because she has some skill. It’s so pathetic, I swear. Just you wait until I get a little stronger. I’ll pay her back for everything.”
“Ah, Ahn Sol-yang…? P-Pay me back?”
Hearing Ko Yeonju, Jung Hayeon looked utterly incredulous and covered her mouth with her hand. Seeing her hurt expression, Ahn Sol frantically waved her hands, vehemently denying it.
“Whaaa? N-No. Wait a minute. N-Nooo. There’s no way I said that. That’s not it!”
“And what’s with that pale-faced Shin Sangyong? Why is he always trying to be the center of attention? Does he think he’s some kind of saint? I wonder what he’s trying to get by sticking around here. Ah, maybe he’s got a thing for that bitch Vivian? Hee hee.”
“E-Ehem. Ahem!”
“Bitch?!”
“N-Nooo! It’s a lie! Hwaaang. That’s not what I said!”
“A biiitch?!”
Shin Sangyong started coughing loudly while Vivian shrieked. Ahn Sol’s mind plunged past confusion and into dark chaos. She was denying it fiercely, but from somewhere, she seemed to hear a voice say, “A strong denial is a strong affirmation.” Before she could even react to that thought, Ko Yeonju’s voice chimed in as if on cue.
“Ugh, that Vivian thing pisses me off every time I see her. I feel a deep, simmering rage. Why does her character have to overlap with mine? It feels like she’s stealing my spotlight! Some unheard-of, unseen stone just comes rolling in. Tsk!”
“What!!!! Unheard-of and unseen!!!! You devious little thing!!!! I knew it, huh? So your whole act until now was just a mask!”
“Ah, ah, ah, ah.”
As Vivian stood up with an indignant look, Ahn Sol, who had been backing away nervously, tripped and fell on her butt. The moment she saw the hurt and angry faces of her companions, Ahn Sol’s mind went blank. And then, Ko Yeonju delivered the finishing blow.
“Phew. That’s all of it. See, I told you you’d regret it. Don’t blame me.”
Ko Yeonju sighed and shook her head. It wasn’t a confession that she was lying, but a roundabout declaration of truth. The moment that confirmation kill landed, there was only one thing she could do.
“Waaaaaaaaaah!!!!”
*
“What in the world are you doing to a child, as a grown adult? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself, a User who’s one of the Ten Strong of the Hall Plain?”
“Whistle~♪”
Ko Yeonju even started whistling as she avoided my gaze. Her reaction just made me sigh deeply. I had been scouting the surrounding area for any changes in the terrain when a cry loud enough to reach my ears suddenly rang out. Wondering what had happened, I rushed back to the clearing to find the entire party gathered in a circle around Ahn Sol, who was sitting in the middle, sobbing her heart out.
“Sob… sob… I, I, hic, didn’t, hiccup, I didn’t say that, hic, waaaah…”
After getting a rough explanation from Jung Hayeon, I shot a sharp glare at Ko Yeonju and lifted Ahn Sol into my arms. When I looked down, Ahn Sol was streaming tears with a truly miserable expression, and her voice was completely hoarse from crying so hard.
“There, there. Oppa knows you didn’t say those things. User Ko Yeonju was just lying to tease you. Good girl, Sol. That’s right. Stop crying now.”
“Hic… O-Orabeoni… O-Orabeoni…”
Ahn Sol burrowed deeper into my arms, rubbing her face against my chest. As I continuously patted her back to soothe her, her sobs seemed to subside a little.
I was incredibly frustrated that we were wasting even more time after already being delayed, but I decided to let it go for now. She simply revealed it was a lie with a soft smile and offered no particular apology. This didn’t quite fit the Ko Yeonju I knew, which made me think she must have had her reasons. In any case, I decided to confront her about it later and focused on calming Ahn Sol down.
Soon, the other party members joined in to comfort her, and Ahn Sol, finally calming down a bit, managed to stop crying. Nevertheless, her face was stained with tears, and her eyes were swollen. Her lips quivered, and her body trembled intermittently, showing just how startled she had been. There was no way we could continue the exploration with her in this state, so since things had come to this, I decided to take a long break.
“……”
After another 30 minutes of rest, the party’s agitation had subsided considerably. I gently set down Sol, who was still in my arms, and announced to the meditating Users that we would resume the exploration. At my words, the mages’ eyes flashed open, while the melee-class Users stretched their arms and waists.
“Alright, formation…”
Just as I was about to order them to form up, I closed my mouth. They were already forming up on their own, with the kids taking the lead, without me having to say a word. Their eyes were sharp and alert; something had strangely changed. The heavy atmosphere that had settled over us since entering the Blue Mountain Range had lifted considerably, replaced by the vibrant, sharp mood from the beginning. At that moment, Ko Yeonju subtly turned her head, met my eyes, and gave me a wink. Her face was full of a smile that seemed to overflow with confidence.
I moved to the front, half-wondering if she had orchestrated this whole thing on purpose. Either way, we had a job to do. Feeling Sol’s presence behind me, tightly gripping my clothes and trotting along, I activated Third Eye and Sensing simultaneously.
Vwoom! Vwoooom!
I poured in more magic than ever before, expanding my Sensing range. From now on, I decided to treat the Cave of Screams as a dungeon I knew nothing about. The Wraith statues at the entrance and the magic circle we dismantled in the clearing were things I didn't remember. I would no longer be complacent. I would proceed with the mindset of conquering a completely unknown dungeon.
Perhaps because my Magic Power stat had risen, I could now faintly feel Ahn Sol flinch behind me. I composed myself once more and took the lead.
And I slowly led the party into the passage.